Managing Archaeological Collections from the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System Corridor

The archaeology department at UAMN is currently finishing a multi-year project to assess and stabilize collections associated with the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS). Large scale archaeological surveys took place prior to and during construction of TAPS in the 1970s. More than 370 archaeological sites were documented during the TAPS surveys each accounting for a separate UAMN accession. Additionally, the TAPS archaeological surveys produced approximately 35 linear feet of documentation including maps, field notes, research notes, and photographs. Due to the overwhelming amount of TAPS material this project set a list of preliminary goals to achieve with the understanding that future curation work would eventually need to be accomplished with many of these collections. The goals for the current TAPS project include: i dentify and survey all UAMN collections from the TAPS-Right of Way; inventory and rehouse all TAPS related documentation; process, inventory, and incorporate newly acquired TAPS collections associated with Herb Alexander; process and inventory 21 boxes of miscellaneous uncatalogued material from the original TAPS survey; and make efforts to retrieve all TAPS collections currently not located at UAMN. This project is scheduled to be completed in spring 2009.

Funding: Bureau of Land Management Challenge Cost Share Program

 

Project Staff:

Kelsey Vallejos